MPs will vote tomorrow in the House of Commons on whether to ban smoking completely in public places. The importance and sensitivity of the issue means that it will be a free vote, with no parties putting pressure on their MPs to vote one way or another. Ireland is already smoke-free in all public places and Scotland is due to take the same steps in March. Health secretary Patricia Hewitt is expected to vote for a total ban in licensed premises – against her department’s official policy. In a recent report, the Commons health select committee said a total ban was the “only effective means” of protecting public health. But some Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs oppose a total ban for fear it could undermine civil liberties. The T&G union, which represents bar staff and others in pubs, restaurants, private clubs and casinos, urged MPs to take a “decisive stand in favour of the healthy option” and support a total ban with no exemptions. Brian Revell, T&G national organiser for food and agriculture, said: “We have dealt with a number of cases of ill-health which have been caused by passive smoking, such as one worker whose asthma was made worse which caused her a hernia and pelvic damage.” Receive the Personnel Today Direct e-newsletter every Wednesday “Cases like these can and must be dealt with by a total ban,” he said.
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